Railroad-spike.



A. W. EHLERT.

RAILROAD SPIKE.

APPLICATION FILED man, 1914.

Patented July 7, 1914,

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ARTHUR W. EEL'ERT, $0 5 LEBANGN, @lltlifiitild.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Anrnon W. Ennnn r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lebanon, in the county of Linn and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in. Railroad-Spikes, of which the following is a specification, reiterence beinghad to the accompanying draw in v T his invention relates to new and useful improvements in railroad spikes and more particularly to that class which are permanently fastened, after having been driven into the tie.

The main object of the invention is the provision of a novel form of railroad spike which, when once driven into the tie may be rendered impossible of withdrawal.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a railroad spike which'is provided with curved securing arms adapted to engage within the body of the tie after the spike has been driven home and also revided with means to project said arms to their efiective position after the spike has been driven intothe tie.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a railway spike of the above character which will possess advantages in points of efiiciency and durability, is inexpensive to manufacture and, at the same time, will he very efiicient and useful inoperation.

With the above and other objects in View,

the invention consists in the novei features of construction,.pombination and arrangemerit of parts asvuill be hereinafter referred the to and more particularly pointed out in specification and claims.

it the accompanying drawinglforming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a' 'railway spike constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3 isa top plan view; and Fig. 4 is a 'detail transverse sectional view of the head portion of the spike.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 indicates the body of my improved railroadspike, the lower end of which tapers into a point indicated by the numeral 2, said body being preferably formed of hardened steel or any other suitable material of this character. In the construction of the body, the upper end thereof, down to a point above the end 2, is hollow,

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upper wardly upon as indicated at 3, while the lower end thereof is solid throughout. The body 1 is provided upon opposite sides of the same with openings 4: which are formed at the junctionbe tween the hollow portion and the solid por tion of the body.

Movably mounted within the hollow portion 3 of the body 1, are the arcuate engagarms 5, the upper ends of which are en-. larged, as shown at 6, to limit the outward movement of the arms through the openings 4:. The lower ends of the arms 5 are provided with points 7, whereby when the arms are driven downwardly and out through the openings 4, the points 7 will readily engage within the ties. It will be noted from the accompanying drawin that the upper end of the solid portion 0% the body is sub stantially arcuate, as shown at 8 and the side edges'thereof incline downwardly, as

at 9 so that the lower arcuate ends of the arms 5, when driven downwardly, will be forced out, so that the points thereof will. readily engage within the tie.

It will be noted from the accompanying drawing, that the body portion 1 of the spike is provided at its upper end with the usual engaging flange 10 which projects outwardly from one side thereof and is adapted to be engaged with the base flange of the rail whenv the spike is driven in position. The

end of the body 1 is provided at the inner edge at the flange 10 with the perforated ears 11, in which are mounted the ends of the transverse rod 12. Pivotally mounted upon the rod 12, is a cover 13 having downwa-rdly projecting flange 14, said cover being adapted to enga e over the upper end of the spike 1' and the anges thereof project downthe side a of the body. The inner edge of the flange 10 is provided with an arcuate recess 15 which is adapted to re 3 ceive the sleeve 15' formed upon, the inner edge oi the cover 18, so that said cover may be swung to an open desired. From this, it will be readily apparenf't that when it is desired to drive the spike into position, the cover 13 is arranged over the upper open endof the spike 1 and the spike driven into position. After the spike has'been driven into place, flange 10 engages over the base flange of the rail, the cover is raised and the headed plug 16 is inserted within the upper end or the spike, the head 17 of the plug limiting the downward movement of the satne. The plug or closed position, as 1 so that the j the arms will be forced outwardly into the body of the tie, said arms being forced outwardly until the enlarged ends 6 thereof engage with the side edges of the opening 4. I

Thus, after the arms 5 have been driven into position, vthe spike 1 is permanently held in place. After the above operation has been carried out, the plug 16 is removed and the cover 13 again placed in position against the upper end of the spike.-

From the above it will be apparent that I have provided a simple and durable railroad spike which, after once driven into place, is rendered impossible of withdrawal. It will be noted that by having the lower curved surfaces of the arms 5 engaging the inclinedportions 9 of the lower end of the spike, said arms are forced outwardly and the points thereof forced slightly up, so that any attempt to withdraw the spike Will be frustrated.

It will be further apparent that in driving the arms 5 into position, they will draw downwardly upon the body of the'spike so as to more securely engage the flange 10 with the base flanges of the rail. I

My device, as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, is extremely, simple in construction and can be manufactured and placed on the market at a 'comparatlvely small cost.

It will be apparent that only oneplug 16 is to be used in driving the s ikes' in place.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, it willbe obvious that various changes in the details of construction, be resorted to for successfully carrying my invention into practice, without sacrificing any of the novel features or departing from the scope of the appended claims.

and in the proportions may Having thus described this invention, what I claim is l. A device of the classdescribed includin a body having a hollow upper portion, a sofi'd tapering lower end formed on said body, an engagin flange formed at the upper end of the b0 y, a hinged cover adapted to close the upper end of the hollow portion, said hollow portion being provided at arcuate arms arranged within the hollow openings, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A device of the class described including a body having a hollow upper portion, a solid tapering lower end, the upper portion. of said solid arcuate in form, said body being provided with opposed openings at the upper end of' the solid portion curved arms arranged within the hollow portion and adapted to be movably disposed within said openings, and a hinged cover secured to the upper end of the body and adapted to close the upper end thereo ing a body havingjits upper portion hollow and provided att e lower end of said hollow portion with opposed openings, a solid tapering lower end on said body, curved arms arranged within the hollow portion and movable through said openings, an engaging flange formed at the upper end of said body, perforated ears formed on the body adjacent said fiange,.a transverse pin arranged within said ears, arcover havin a sleeve mounted upon said pin, and engaging points formed in the lower ends of said arms, as and for the purpose set forth.

Witnesses:

' Sam. M. GARLAND,

JOSEPH KEEHLERQ In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix 1 its lower end with opposed openings and I portion and movably disposed Within said I end being 3. A device of the class described includ- 

